The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-26
THE sO.CALLED COMPROMISE
Col. Calvin Cowgirl Expresses His Re-
greet, Not Being Misled About 1t.
Other COMBINATIONS by Letter and Other
Wise-The Views of the State Press Upon
the Legislative Surrender.

Hon. Calvin Cowgirl Expresses Ills Views.
To the Editor OF the indianapolis Journal:
When read an account of the comprcmise by
which it was agreed that Green Smith should
be recognized as one of the officers OF the joint
convention of the two branches of the General
Asse mbly to elect United States Senator, |
bowed my head IN sorrow, and had intended to
maintain silence in regard to what / conceived
to be grievous blunder the part of the Re-
| publicans. Since. however. 1 have observed an
attempt on the part of some Republican
members of the Legislature and one Re-
publican newspaper to justify the act.
| and to condemn the journal for the
| firm but dignifed manner in which it expressed
| its disapprobation Of the same. deem it highly
| proper that any Republican entertaining tine
views that do should express them without re
| serve.
I believe that Colonel Robertson was legally
elected Lieutenant-governor of the State. And
further believe that the only tribunal having
| any lawful authority to decide question of that
| kind had passed upon it, and declared his elec-
| ton. And when. in pursuance of the counting
of the votes of nearly 900 electors of the
/ State, by the authority invested by law to per-
| form the act, and the declaration then made of
| his election. he proceeded to take the oath of
| office and enter upon the duties thereof, not
only in the presence of but with the sanction
| and approval of every Republican member of
| either branch of the General Assembly it was
| their duty to stand by what they had done and
to sustain the Lieutenant governor in the official
capacity that they then recognized and sane
| toned.
Neither the fact that revoiutionists threatened
or that DULLES and blackguards fumed and swag-
gered should have deferred anyone from
| finchingly doing what his judgment dictated or
his conscience approved Believing. as I do
land, so far as ! am Informed, every Republican
member entertains the same opinionl, that the
| w Mt iurio
| diction, and that the question it attempted to
| decide belongs exclusively to a coordinate
| branch of the State government, and not to the
judiciary should have firmly insisted that as a
| law-maker of the State, sworn to support the
| Constitution, should utterly disregard the Or
ders of a court that attempted to divest the body
| of which l was a member of the prerogative that
/ believed to be exclusively lodged with it by the
| instrument had sworn to support.
1t is not my purpose however to enter into a
| discussion of these questions, but merely to ex-
press the hope that there will be no further at
tempt to justify the unfortunate compromise by
talking of peace and order, and obedience to law.
etc. Peace cannot be purchased at "a price so
dear.
The man who knows his rights. and that has
the courage to maintain them against the men aces
of the bully, is less likely to be disturbed than
he who sacrifices principle with the hope OF
| avoiding contention. In my judgment the course
that the Journalhas pursued has been eminentiy
proper and right and as one who believes in
standing by the right. let the consequences be
what they NAV, tender it my thanks
WABASH, Jan. % G. CowGILL.
COnmon-Sense View Of the Question.
70 the Editor of the indianapolis Journal
Not being lawyer, I have to depend on
common-sen view of our troubles, and from
this stand point heartily indorse every proper
effort to maintain the rights of the people act
ing under the forms of law. / think the time
for that man Smith to have acted was when the
Governor ordered what he claims was an illegal
election. He should Fave filed injunctions and
restraining orders in every county of the State
to prevent the county officials from conforming
to an illegal command of our chief executive
and, if possible. have prevented the people, who
are the sources of all power, from acting in their
supreme sovereignty and concentrating an aci
that could never be srbverted reversed but
by the same sovereignty. The truth is nobody is
wronged, and there can be no wrong unless the
whole people Of the State have violated the Con
stitution of the United States some law Of the
Congress of the United States.
l believe no one claims that we have done
either. Whom did Senator Smith wrong when
he obeyed the Governor OF Indiana and exer
cised the franchise of free man of Indiana and
with his neighbors and fellow citizens, went and
voted for ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS or? Or Judge
Ayres when and where did he receive such ar
accession of new light as to reverse his decision
in Novemberl For he voted then that 1t was gal
So did all the judges. and all the Senators, and
all the lawyers, and all the farmers, all the
laborers, and all from the professions; so that il
, there is a wrong, who is there to cast the frs
stone?
But there can be no wrong. The whole PEG
pie of great State have arisen without a dis
senting voice, and under the form of law filled
an Office that was vacant by electing Colone
Robertson Acknowledgements Governor Gray
as our chief executive, should see that no after
thought of political trcksters. mutiny or pre-
tended judicial orders thwart for one
hour the will of the whole people of the State by
preventing Lieutenant governor Robertson
. from the full and free exercise of every and al
the functions of his Office Or, if he is so ncon
sistent to refuse to protect the people IN thei
rights after ordering them to elect
Northumberland, them in that cas-,
we should ask the government O
the United States to see that we have Repub
lican form of State government and be per
mitted under the forms of law to ill vacancies
in State Offices by popular elections under thu
Constitution of the United States and of tn
State of Indiana. c. w. STEWART.
DANyILLE Jan. "a.
! The Plea for Harmony.
To the Editor Of the Indianapolis Journal:
-